Improvement in explosive compounds



UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE."

JOHN PAT'TISON, 0F NEVADA-GITY, oALIF-oRN1A.'

IMPROVEMENT IN EXYPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS.

Specification c r rt otLon rntentno. 250,304. dated October 1, 1819}application filed Nct'cmbcr 29, 1878. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Joan Pn'r'rrson, of Nevada Citygofthe county of.Nevada,'State' of California, have invented an Explosive Compound; anddo hereby declare that the following is'a. full, clear, and exactdescripandwhich will render it perfectly safe to hau dle, and at thesame time furnish a due pro'-' portion of gases when the mixture isexploded.

I have found that much of the tendency or causel'of premature explosionhas arisenfrom the .friction between the particles produced by thebreaking of the heretofore solidified or caked compound put up in theform of cartridges. As long' as the cartridge or cakedmixture remains inits solid and unbroken condition there is no danger of premature oraccidental explosion; but if the cartridge or cake should-become brokenor fractured the friction of the fractured parts rubbing against eachother causes the explosion, and it isusu'ally when putting thecartridgeor cake into the drill-hole that such accidents occur, becausethe cartridge is usually broken when inserting it into the hole.

- The object of my meal or flour is to prevent the solidification orcaking of the mass, so

condition of a powder, and thus not only avoid the danger of prematureexplosion but keep the particles in a'loose condition, sothat they willexplode more readily and more efi'ectivel-y.

The meal or flour from which [have-obtained the best results is made ofmustard or flaxseed ground coarsely and intermixed. with thechlorate-ofipotash compound insulflcient quantities to prevent thecompound from hardening. a I

The proportion of the meal or flour to i used will vary occordingto thenature-of the the usual tendency ofthejcomponnd toe:-

plode quickly,'so that a larger proportion of A gases is generated, andtheexplosive eil'ect, esa

,pecially in loose material; such asgravel and eah'thy material, is moreextended and 'efl'ectua powder or compound are neither unpleasant norunhealthy. v

Having thus described my invention, what Lei-aim, and desire to secureby Letters Patient, is

The combination, with an explosive compound having for its base chlorateofpotash, of an oleagiuous flour or meal toprevent premature andspontaneous explosion, substantially as specified.

In witness whereof I hereunto attach my hand and seal. that the mixturewill remainv granular in the V r, mo, m'r'rrsos'. 1.. s]

Witnesses:

r '1); B. LAwLEn,

" H M. OHACE..

prefer the meal I The gases arising from the burning'oi this i

